Human beings are fickle creatures, and we often crave the things we are denied. Among the things people have missed in the last year, travel tops the list for many of us.
As the UK government prepares to announce what restrictions there will be on international travel this summer, excited globetrotters up and down the country will be planning their next trip, budgeting for a far away trip or assessing their finances for a longed-for city break.
With new anxieties around international travel and climate concerns, a new way of travel could emerge when restrictions are lifted.
Once reserved for shoeless wanderers, the conscious travel movement is on the rise. Focussing on more meaningful experiences and caring for the planet and communities visited is top of mind for the conscious traveller.
If you are looking for an eco-minded and meaningful travel experience, here’s how you can become a more conscious traveller.
Travel as slowly as possible
Slow movements have dominated almost every industry in recent years, and the travel industry is no exception. Slow travel puts a particular emphasis on purposeful and meaningful experiences, and often integrating into local communities for an authentic travel experience.
Digital nomads and remote workers are particularly well suited to slow travel experiences, as they can set up in locations for longer periods of time.
Travel with regeneration in mind
To combat the devastating effects of the climate crisis, many travellers are looking to regenerative travel to offset their human impact on the planet. Rewilding and environmental projects regularly appeal for volunteers to help them with their mission.
Rewilding projects often happen in remote and less well-travelled locations, which can offer the conscious traveller a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Travel out of season
Travelling at typical off-season times can help to boost the local economy of tourist trap destinations. Conscious travellers can help to support local communities in these destinations by visiting during quieter months.
It can also help the conscious traveller, as ticket prices and accommodation are usually cheaper in the off season.
Travel off the grid
It might feel counterintuitive to ethical, sustainable, and conscious travel, but going off-grid can have great benefits for local economies and the environment. Camping experiences off the beaten track and visiting far-flung locations by sustainable transport methods are great ways to travel consciously.
Travel without an airplane
Air travel is particularly hazardous for the environment. Although most of the travel industry’s emissions are caused by elite flyers, our air travel habits are still having an impact on the climate. Choosing to travel by other modes of transport, preferably ones that are less impactful in their emissions, is a great way to become a conscious traveller.
